EDUCATIONAL RESPONSES

TO HIV AND AIDS FOR

REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY
DISPLACED PERSONS:
DISCUSSION PAPER FOR DECISIONMAKERS
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSES
TO HIV AND AIDS FOR
REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY
DISPLACED PERSONS:
DISCUSSION PAPER FOR DECISIONMAKERS

January 2007
TA B L E OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 4
Acronyms 5
Overview 6
Current Situation of Refugees and IDPs 8
Conflict, Displacement and HIV 9
Special Characteristics and Protection Risks of Refugees and IDPs 10
Poverty and dependency on aid 11
Abuse and trauma 11
Compounded protection risks 11
Obstacles to schooling and learning 11

Education for Refugees and IDP’s 12

The right to education for all 13
Education for girls and women 14
Quality education in emergency settings 15

Key Components of Educational Responses to HIV and AIDS for Refugees and IDPs 16
1. Policy, management and systems 18
2. Quality education, including cross-cutting principles 19
3. Content, curriculum and learning materials 21
4. Educator training and support 23
5. Approaches and entry points 24

Conclusions and Recommendations 26

End Notes 28
References 29
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This discussion paper is the result of collaboration between the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The inter-agency team
participating in the preparation of this paper included: Christopher Castle,
Alexandra Draxler, Andrea Miller, Olivier Nay, Mary Joy Pigozzi, Mark Richmond,
Justine Sass, Marian Schilperoord, Paul Spiegel and Joan Sullivan-Owomoyela.

UNESCO and UNHCR would also like to thank Eva Ahlen, Laurie Bruns, Marion
Fresia, Nathalie Meynet and Christopher Talbot, who provided useful comments
and suggestions on earlier versions of this publication. Appreciation is also
offered to the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) for
the use of the Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, Chronic Crises
and Early Reconstruction for the purpose of this paper.

4
ACRONYMS

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

ART Antiretroviral Therapy
BCC Behaviour Change Communication
EFA Education for All
DRC Democratic Republic of the Congo
GCE Global Campaign for Education
GIPA Greater Involvement of People living with HIV and AIDS
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
IASC Inter-Agency Standing Committee
IDP Internally Displaced Person
IEC Information, Education and Communication
INEE Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies
IRC International Rescue Committee
LSPS Live Safe, Play Safe
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MSEE Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies,
Chronic Crises and Early Reconstruction
PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
PTA Parent-Teacher-Association
STI Sexually Transmitted Infection
UNAIDS United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
VCT Voluntary Counselling and Testing

5
OVERVIEW

6
T
his discussion paper, prepared by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), is intended for policy-makers and implementers in
ministries of education, civil society organizations, and donor and
development agencies involved in emergency, reconstruction and
development responses.
It examines the current situation with regard to conflict, dis-
placement and HIV, and notes the protection risks faced by
refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). It recognises
the importance of education for affected populations, and re-
fers to the existing and significant work undertaken to develop
minimum standards for education in emergency situations.
The paper then focuses on the key components of education
sector responses to HIV and AIDS, and addresses the policy
and programmatic measures required to address the preven-
tion, treatment, care and support needs of refugees and IDPs
as well as the HIV-related stigma and discrimination that they
often face. The paper concludes with a number of recommen-
dations, including a call to ministries of education, civil society
organizations, and their development partners to:
• Coordinate HIV and AIDS education for refugees and
IDPs with other educational initiatives at the country,
sub-national and organizational levels in order to avoid
duplication of efforts and to maximise the effective use
of human, financial and material resources.
• Promote the principles put forward in the Dakar Frame-
work for Action, including the achievement of the six
Education for All (EFA) goals by 2015.
• Meaningfully involve communities in programme
development, implementation, monitoring and evalu-
ation.
• Scale up and make programmes more comprehensive
over time and across displacement phases.
• Customise the message in consultation with the
community.
• Monitor and evaluate programmes to guide future
actions and take corrective measures when needed.
The analysis and recommendations offered in this paper are
based on the:
• Long programmatic experience of UNHCR in safeguar-
ding the rights and well-being of refugee populations;
• Conceptual framework1 of EDUCAIDS, the UNAIDS
Global Initiative on Education and HIV & AIDS, led by
UNESCO. A multi-country initiative, EDUCAIDS supports
the implementation of comprehensive national educa-
tion sector responses to the HIV and AIDS epidemic;
and
• Application of the Minimum Standards for Education
in Emergencies, Chronic Crises and Early Reconstruction
(MSEE), developed by the Inter-Agency Network for
Education in Emergencies (INEE) and the Guidelines for
HIV/AIDS Interventions in Emergency Settings, developed
by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) to
orient the educational response to HIV and AIDS.
As further programmatic and policy experience emerge,
UNESCO and UNHCR envisage the production of additional
guidance and support materials for the formulation and im-
plementation of comprehensive educational responses to HIV
and AIDS for refugees and IDPs. As such, this paper should be
considered the first of a series of technical materials aimed at
supporting responses for these populations.
7
CURRENT SITUATION
OF REFUGEES AND IDPS
In 2005, more than 44 million people, primarily in low-income
countries, were forcibly displaced by conflict, violence, crisis or
persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion or
membership of a particular social group.2 In an encouraging trend,
the number of refugees – people who have fled persecution in
their own countries to seek safety in neighbouring states – has
fallen in recent years.3 In contrast, the number of IDPs – people
who have been forced or obliged to flee their homes or places of
habitual residence and who have not crossed an internally recog-
nized border – continues to rise as states have closed their borders
to refugees or adopted restrictive admission policies.4 Moreover,
the stay of displaced populations in their new locations is often
for very long period of time. For refugees, the average estimated
length of stay increased from nine years in 1993 to seventeen
years by the end of 2003, with children spending on average
approximately eight years.5
Each crisis, and each phase of each crisis, has its own unique
characteristics and complexity, demanding a careful, sensitive
analysis before formulating interventions. Refugees typically
face a cycle of displacement (see Figure 1) whereby they suffer
through an emergency, live through a period of relative stability
in a post-emergency situation, and then experience another cycle
of readjustment when they are faced with durable solutions of
repatriation, settlement in the host country, or resettlement to a
third country.
Figure 1: Refugee Cycle of Displacement
Source: UNAIDS and UNHCR.
Strategies to Support
the HIV-related Needs of
Refugees and Host Populations.
Geneva, 2005.
2ESETTLEMENT
2EPATRIATION
DISPLACED
8
The emergency phase, associated with the onset of conflict or
some other emergency leading to the flight of those affected,
is generally one of extreme hardship, including a destabilisation
of cultural bases, collapse of traditional community structures,
separation of children and youth from their families, destruction
of basic health and education services, and socio-economic dis-
ruption. The people involved face material, physical, and psycho-
logical loss both directly from the events and indirectly from the
cumulative effect of their increased vulnerability. They can find
themselves in situations of tension in their new surroundings
both within refugee groups and with the population of the host
country.
The post-emergency or stabilisation phase is generally
marked by greater stability, during which humanitarian
assistance generally delivers the most basic necessities and
social services. During this phase, external assistance is also
aiming to prepare refugees or IDPs for return, repatriation, local
integration or resettlement.
During the final durable solutions phase, refugees are able to
return home, integrate into the host country or resettle to a third
country or integrate into the population of their host country.6
The risks during the third phase are context-specific, complex and
vary from location to location.
0OST%MERGENCY
2EFUGEES
(/34#/5.429
)NTEGRATION %MERGENCY
0REPAREDNESS
%MERGENCY
#/5.429/&/2)'). )$0S
.ON
2EINTEGRATION
0OST%MERGENCY
CONFLICT, DISPLACEMENT
AND HIV

It is a common misconception that refugees pose an AIDS reduces access to HIV prevention commodities, information
threat to host communities.7 Data indicate that refugees often and HIV-related treatment and care during conflict and flight.
migrate from countries in conflict with lower HIV prevalence
to more stable host countries with higher HIV prevalence.8 Factors that can limit the transmission of HIV among refugees
Myths about overall high HIV prevalence levels among refu- are less well-studied, but may include: reduced mobility to
gees compound the stigma that refugees already face, further high prevalence urban areas in search of work; the isolation
constraining their access to health services and highlighting and inaccessibility of some refugee populations; and in some
the need to address HIV-related stigma circumstances, especially in the post-
and discrimination as an integral part The many factors that contribute to emergency phase, the availability of
of effective responses. the increased HIV risks to refugees better protection and other HIV-related
services than in countries of origin or
The many factors that contribute to in emergency and post-emergency among surrounding populations.11
the increased HIV risks to refugees phases are well-understood. They
in emergency and post-emergency The HIV risks to host communities are
phases are well-understood.9 They
include loss of livelihoods and lack not yet fully understood and depend
include loss of livelihoods and lack of access to basic services, often on the comparative HIV prevalence
of access to basic services, often in- increasing the vulnerability of women and on the extent of interactions
creasing the vulnerability of women between refugee and host commu-
and girls to sexual exploitation.10 Also, and girls to sexual exploitation. nity populations. However, trends are
conflict increases sexual violence becoming apparent: the majority of
against women and girls, including rape as a weapon of war, refugees live within host communities, not in camps12 and
and breaks down social networks and institutions that usually they often stay for years in their host countries and live in close
provide support and regulate behaviour. Exposure to mass contact with surrounding communities. Failure to address the
trauma such as conflict can increase alcohol and other drug HIV-related needs of refugees not only denies refugees their
use and, in general, influence people’s attitudes towards risk. rights, but undermines the effectiveness of HIV prevention
The additional disruption to health and education services and care efforts for surrounding communities.

9
SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
AND PROTECTION RISKS
OF REFUGEES AND IDPS

D
eveloping interventions to prevent HIV transmission and
provide protection and services to those affected by AIDS
in a situation of institutional breakdown poses particular
challenges. For example, both the general socio-economic situation
of refugees and the specific provision of formal and non-formal
education are often quite different from elsewhere. Life in refugee
situations differs in the nature of the populations, the settings and
the phase of emergency, but they typically share some common
characteristics:

10
Poverty and dependency on aid
Refugees are often housed in camps in remote areas. With
little or no access to jobs or land to farm, the combination of
poverty, idleness and hopelessness brings forth a host of new
problem behaviours: increased domestic violence, survival sex
and early marriage. These are exacerbated by the absence of
social structures that normally serve to support individuals
and groups in difficulty and are broken down during conflict
and flight. Limited financial opportunities can also lead to
dependency on international humanitarian assistance inclu-
ding food and other material support.
In protracted situations, many IDPs remain in difficult condi-
tions due to limited access to humanitarian assistance. Often
facing the same problems and in similar circumstances as
refugees, IDPs may not have recourse to material support such
as seeds, tools and other implementing devices offered to
returning refugees.13
A buse and trauma
Human rights violations including sexual exploitation, torture,
abandonment, forced recruitment into militia and armed
forces, and abduction and trafficking can lead to physical,
mental and emotional trauma.14 Moreover, these violations are
often cyclical, with a history of repetition throughout all phases
of displacement. Refugee and IDPs may feel too vulnerable and
traumatised to attend educational programmes because of their
experiences, and girl students and their families in particular
may have heightened concerns about their safety, which – if not
addressed – can force students to remain at home.
C ompounded protection risks
Women often face a double-risk of contracting HIV, due to bio-
logical, social, and economic vulnerability and vulnerabilities
caused by conflict situations. Increased rape during conflict
and displacement heightens the risk of transmission of sexual-
ly transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Female refugees
may find themselves separated from family members or tradi-
tional support mechanisms, isolated from their communities
and confronted with new challenges, such as providing for
themselves and their children in situations of particular hard-
ship, as well as new forms of violence and risks in the country
of refuge.15
Similarly, girls are hit harder and younger than boys by the
epidemic in general. For girl refugees and IDPs, many fac-
tors of vulnerability become much greater: girls prematurely
take on heads-of-household and other responsibilities, have
compounded difficulties in access to education, may marry
younger, be exposed to sexual exploitation (including in the
education environment), suffer from stigma, and are often the
last to receive medical treatment.
Special attention must also be paid to children affected by HIV,
including those orphaned or made otherwise vulnerable by
AIDS. A UNICEF study (2001) found that “of the 17 countries
with over 100,000 children orphaned by AIDS, 13 are in conflict
or on the brink of emergency involving conflict”. For example,
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), only now
emerging from a long history of war, some 680,000 children
have lost their parents to AIDS.16
The situation for urban refugees and IDPs can often be worse
than that of refugees living in camps. Often dispersed, diverse
and difficult to reach,17 they have little or no access to social
and medical services, including formal education opportuni-
ties and HIV prevention, treatment and care programmes. They
are often unaware of available local services, or of their right to
access these services. They are among the first victims of a va-
riety of discriminatory and xenophobic attitudes. For example,
host communities and local service providers may view urban
refugees as responsible for crime, economic competition or
the spread of disease. As these attitudes may also be present
in local schools hosting refugee learners, it is imperative that
education on refugee rights, including rights related to HIV and
AIDS, be incorporated in school curricula and teacher training
in urban settings.
O bstacles to schooling and learning
Education systems are often destroyed in conflict situations.
During the Mozambique conflict in the 1980s-1990s, for
example, 45 percent of schools were destroyed.18 Many refugee
and internally displaced children lose their chance of getting
an education. In Colombia in 2000, an estimated 85 percent of
children in camps were believed to not be receiving a primary
education.19
While IDPs may have access to the formal education system,
refugees seldom have the same access either because they
do not have the proper documentation (e.g., birth registra-
tion documents) for enrolment, are unable to pay school fees
and related costs, or do not have sufficient fluency in the
medium of instruction. Where educational opportunities are
available to refugees (and may, in some cases, be superior
to what is available to the local population), secondary and
higher education opportunities are typically severely limited.
Thus, in refugee situations as elsewhere, formal HIV and AIDS
education may not reach all target populations, including vul-
nerable groups such as out-of-school youth, and non-formal
programmes are required to fill the gap.
11
EDUCATION FOR
REFUGEES AND IDPS

W
hile governments and international organizations view
food, water, shelter and health care as basic necessities
during emergencies, education does not always have a
similar level of support, particularly in the emergency phase of the
cycle of displacement. However, there are numerous reasons why
formal education (e.g., school-based) and non-formal education
(e.g., out-of-school) are important for refugees and IDPs, in particular
children and young people. In addition to providing the essential
building blocks for learning, education in emergencies can protect
against exploitation and harm; offer structure, stability and hope in
a time of crisis; promote the acquisition of skills for life; and support
conflict resolution and peace building.20

12
The right to education for all
Education has been recognised by numerous international
conventions, declarations and commitments (see Box 1) as a
fundamental human right, key to sustainable development
and peace and stability within and among countries.
Commitments made by the international community to
the achievement of EFA include a specific pledge to “meet
the needs of education systems affected by conflict, natural
calamities and instability” as well as to create “educational
programmes and actions to combat the HIV/AIDS pan-
demic”.21 Education on HIV is also recognised by UNHCR as a
critical service in its 2006 Note on HIV/AIDS and the Protection
of Refugees, IDPs, and Other Persons of Concern. Here, UNHCR
indicates that “the right to health includes access not only
to HIV treatment, but also to HIV-related education” and that
“States and UNHCR should ensure the widespread provision
of information about HIV and AIDS to refugees, IDPs and
other persons of concern”.22

Commitments made by the international community to the achievement of EFA

include a specific pledge to “meet the needs of education systems affected by conflict,
natural calamities and instability” as well as to create “educational programmes and
actions to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic”.

In t e r n a t i o n a l C o n v e n t i o n s , D e c l a r a t i o n s
and Commitments Supporting Education
Box 1
• 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26, states that “everyone has the right to an
education”.
• 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons during Times of War,
Article 50, states that “the Occupying Power shall, with the cooperation of the national and local authori-
ties, facilitate the proper working of all institutions devoted to the care and education of children”.
• 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Article 22, declares States shall accord to
refugees “the same treatment as…nationals with respect to elementary education”.
• 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, Article 2, enshrines the
right to education “without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status”.
• 1989 Convention on Rights of the Child reaffirms the right of children to free, relevant and quality
education regardless of status.
• 2000 Dakar Framework for Action: Education for All states that signatories should “implement as a
matter of urgency education programmes and actions to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic”.
• Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) include two goals directly related to education: Goal 2
“Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling;” and Goal 3 “Eliminate
gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015”.

13
E ducation for girls and women
In emergency situations as everywhere else, attention to equal
access to education for women and girls is paramount. There
is compelling evidence that more highly educated girls and
women are better able to delay sexual debut and negotiate
safer sex. A recent analysis of eight sub-Saharan countries
showed that women with eight or more years of schooling
were 47 to 87 percent less likely to have sex before the age
of 18 than women with no schooling.23 There is also evidence
that education affects young women’s choices regarding the
use of condoms or abstaining from high-risk sex. Surveys in 22
countries show a correlation between higher education levels
and more condom use.24 In the DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania and
Uganda, more educated girls and women have been found to
have lower levels of HIV infection.25 Furthermore, higher levels
of education among women are closely associated with lower
infant and under-five mortality rates. Better-educated women
are more likely than less-educated women to understand the
importance of antenatal care, hygienic child care practices and
good nutrition for themselves and their children. They are also
more likely to know where to access health care and to be able
to afford such care.26
Emergency situations can change the gender balance in
classrooms, with varying consequences. Sometimes insecure
routes, endemic violence, household, chores and care-giving
14
demands, or low expectations of families keep girls from school.
In other situations, refugee and IDP camps achieve increased
participation of girls in schooling due to the proximity of
learning institutions or structured incentives within the camp
setting.27
UNHCR encourages the implementation of special initiatives to
support and increase the retention of refugee girls and young
women in educational programmes. These include:
• Provision of uniforms and/or clothes;
• Development of safe and gender-friendly learning envi-
ronments, including separate latrines for girls and boys
and the provision of sanitary materials;
• Development and enforcement of a code of conduct
for educational staff and students;
• Use of separate classrooms for girls and boys, if culturally
appropriate;
• Recruitment of trained teachers from refugee commu-
nities and of female teachers (UNHCR recommends that
at least 50 percent of all teachers be female in refugee
situations);
• Training of teachers on gender issues, including sexual
and gender-based violence;
• Facilitation of accessible and confidential access to
health and community services, including psychosocial
support; and
• Provision of training and income-generating opportu-
nities.
Q uality education in emergency
settings
There has been intensive cooperation among humanitarian
organizations to develop minimum standards for education in
emergency situations, chronic crisis and early recovery. These
are intended “help achieve a minimum level of educational
access and quality in emergencies and early reconstruction as
well as to ensure the accountability of the workers who provide
these services”.28
INEE’s Working Group on Minimum Standards for Educa-
tion in Emergencies, Chronic Crises and Early Reconstruction
facilitated a highly consultative process to develop the
Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, Chronic Crises
and Early Reconstruction. The INEE Minimum Standards were
developed with the participation of over 2,250 individuals from
more than 50 countries in 2003 and 2004.
The Standards are designed for use in emergency response,
emergency preparedness and humanitarian advocacy and
are applicable in a wide range of situations, including natural
disasters and armed conflicts. They provide guidance and flex-
ibility in responding to needs at the most important level –
the community – while providing a harmonised framework to
coordinate the educational activities of national governments,
other authorities, funding agencies, and national and interna-
tional agencies”.29
These Standards are a useful departure point for the develop-
ment of educational responses to HIV and AIDS as they address
the policy principles, strategic actions, and coordination mech-
anisms required for education in emergencies. The following
section builds on the standards and indicators presented in the
INEE Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, Chronic
Crises and Early Reconstruction, and the strategies and priori-
ties set forth in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)
Guidelines for HIV/AIDS Interventions in Emergency Settings to
present a framework for educational responses to HIV and AIDS.
15
KEY COMPONENTS OF
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSES
TO HIV AND AIDS
FOR REFUGEES AND IDPS

...UNESCO and UNHCR recognise that every emergency situation is

different, and each programme may be at a different starting point.
Staged and scaled-up implementation is necessary to prepare individuals
and communities to move from a dire situation to one in which they are in
charge and for which they have skills, attitudes and health for success.

16
D
uring the period of displacement – from the onset of a
complex emergency to the moment a durable solution is
found – refugees are often excluded from host countries’
strategies, policies and programmes on HIV and AIDS, and their needs
are generally not addressed in proposals submitted to or funded by
major donors.30 This may undermine effective HIV prevention and
AIDS mitigation efforts for both refugees/IDPs and surrounding
populations.

It is critical that efforts be made to ensure that refugees and IDPs,

particularly children and young people, have access to educational
opportunities as education provides the knowledge and skills
essential for the prevention of HIV, and protects individuals, families,
and communities from the impact of AIDS. Education also helps
to overcome the conditions that facilitate the spread of HIV, and
can create the conditions of understanding and tolerance that
contribute to reduced stigma and discrimination against people
living with HIV.31

UNESCO and UNHCR recommend staged and scaled-up in-
terventions that address the prevention, treatment, care and
support needs of refugees and IDPs as well as the HIV-related
stigma and discrimination that they often face. To be effective,
interventions need to use all educational modalities (formal,
non-formal and informal32) and ensure multisectoral approaches
to address the epidemic in an effective and efficient way.
A comprehensive educational responses to HIV and AIDS for
refugees and IDPs is comprised of five essential components:
1) policy, management and systems; 2) quality education (in-
cluding cross-cutting principles); 3) content, curriculum and
learning materials; 4) educator training and support; and 5) ap-
proaches and entry points. This section addresses each of these
components, providing examples of policy and programmatic
measures to be undertaken by ministries of education, civil
society organizations and their development partners.
A comprehensive response is critical – all of these five compo-
nents need to be in place and working well to ensure optimal
success in the response to the epidemic among refugees and
IDPs. At the same time, UNESCO and UNHCR recognise that
every emergency situation is different, and each programme
may be at a different starting point. Staged and scaled-up imple-
mentation is necessary to prepare individuals and communities
to move from a dire situation to one in which they are in charge
and for which they have skills, attitudes and health for success.

17
 1 Policy, management and systems
A crucial lesson learned by UNESCO and UNHCR is the need to
ensure that HIV and AIDS policies and interventions for refugees
and IDPs are coordinated, mainstreamed and integrated
with those at country and organizational levels to maximise
resources and services. For example, the needs of refugees
and IDPs should be an element of national education sector
policies on HIV and AIDS in affected countries (see Box 2),
budgeted and integrated into regular government plans and
financial mechanisms.
National legal frameworks and policies including those that
promote compulsory education and free schooling should also
be applicable to educational programmes for displaced popu-
lations. If it is not possible or practical for refugees to attend
host country schools, separate educational programmes need
to be established in refugee camps. UNESCO and UNHCR sup-
port the application of the Minimum Standards for Education in
Emergencies, Chronic Crises and Early Reconstruction which state
that “as part of the emergency response, education authorities
and key stakeholders should develop and implement an edu-
cation plan that takes into account national and international
educational policies, upholds the right to education, and is
responsive to the learning needs of affected populations”.33
Similarly, interventions in emergency settings should also
figure, wherever possible, in national AIDS strategies and in
broader development frameworks and mechanisms, such as
poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSPs). Education networks/
working groups can be a consultative vehicle to incorporate HIV
and AIDS education into host country AIDS plans by supporting
coordination and information sharing between stakeholders.
For example, local networks/committees (e.g., refugee camp
education committees) can act as a bridge between refugees
and policy-makers for HIV and AIDS education issues. Educa-
tion and HIV and AIDS Focal Points in emergency settings can
also liaise with other national agencies conducting HIV and
AIDS activities to support synergies and linkages.
Combining resources given for refugees with host country
resources can provide additional support for the building and
operation of primary and secondary schools, especially in rural
areas. In areas where there are few schools, combining donor
resources and host country resources for school construction
can offer increased access to educational opportunities for
refugees and host country nationals alike.
The development of policies and plans is most effective when
based on timely assessments undertaken in wide consultation
with affected populations and consideration of previous
experience, policies and practices of affected populations. For
the establishment of educational programmes in emergency
settings, the INEE recommends that “a timely education
assessment of the emergency situation [be] conducted in a
holistic and participatory manner” and that this assessment be
used to develop a framework “including a clear description of
the problem and a documented strategy for the response”.34 To
be sure that HIV and AIDS are adequately addressed, UNESCO
and UNHCR support the incorporation of HIV and AIDS
indicators in the situation analysis or baseline assessment and
ongoing monitoring and evaluation of educational responses
(examples of qualitative and quantitative measurements by
population group can be found in Box 3). All data should be
disaggregated by sex and age, wherever possible.

Ma i n s t r e a m i n g t h e N e e d s o f R e f u g e e s a n d I D P s i n
the Education Sector Policy on HIV/AIDS, Uganda
As one of the principles underlying the policy, “the
large numbers of people affected and displaced by
conflict, disaster and other emergencies is a matter
of high priority in terms of HIV/AIDS response and
requires the special provision of education”.
With regard to treatment, care, support and impact
mitigation, “education sector institutions shall
work with existing national and local programmes
to monitor and address the risks faced by learners
whose safety is put at risk by armed conflict, inter-
nal displacement, refugee status and abduction”.
Box 2
In terms of the management of the education sec-
tor response to HIV/AIDS, “all education sector in-
stitutions involved in the planning, programming
and delivery of HIV/AIDS related interventions
will take special measures in areas of conflict and
in the case of displaced populations. Basic assis-
tance and treatment and care will receive priority
where children and adults are at risk of poverty,
abduction and abuse”.
Source: Ministry of Education and Sports, the Republic of
Uganda 2005

18
 Se l e c t e d H I V- a n d A I D S - r e l a t e d I n d i c a t o r s f o r
Educational Planning, by Population Group
Box 3
Learners • Sources of information about sexuality, reproductive health and HIV
• Knowledge of HIV prevention methods
• Median age at first sex
• Relationships: expectations; attitudes to sex; transactional sex; forced sex; age mixing
• Attitudes toward people living with HIV
• Learners’ preferred sex of the educator teaching about HIV and AIDS
Educators • Knowledge of HIV and AIDS
• Attitudes toward people living with HIV, including toward involving people living with HIV
in the learning environment
• Attitudes toward community involvement in the learning environment
• Training in HIV and AIDS (including pre- and in-service training)
• Comfort with and experience of teaching on sexuality, reproductive health and HIV
• Extent willing to address HIV and AIDS in curriculum
Community • Extent to which leaders and other key groups (e.g., women and youth) are included
Members in the HIV curriculum development process
• Availability of condoms and other commodities; availability and use of HIV testing services
• Attitudes toward HIV and AIDS education
• Attitudes toward people living with HIV, including toward involving people living with HIV
in the learning environment

2 Q uality education, including
cross-cutting principles
Access to a good quality education on its own, apart from
anything else, is widely recognised as an effective means of
reducing the vulnerability of learners to HIV and AIDS. Education
must be rights-based, proactive and inclusive, with curricula
and instructional approaches that are gender-sensitive, scien-
tifically accurate and culturally appropriate. Effective learning is
critical, requiring educational programmes to support reforms
to address the needs at the level of the learner and at the level
of the learning system. For example, at the level of the learner,
education systems must acknowledge what the learner brings
to the learning environment. In refugee situations, this may
include a certain sense of hopelessness and fatalism among
students and communities, requiring that education be attrac-
tive to engage learners and maintain their interest. At the level
of the learning system, this may require expanded efforts to
measure learning outcomes to measure not only knowledge,
but also skills or competencies such as problem-solving, values
such as tolerance and gender equality, and behaviours. 35

19
To ensure the quality of formal and non-formal educational
services and programmes, the INEE minimum standards call
for the active participation of emergency-affected community
members in programme assessment, planning, implemen-
tation, and monitoring and evaluation.36 “Community edu-
cation committees,” comprised of parents and/or members of
parent-teacher-associations (PTAs), local agencies, civil society
associations, community organizations, youth and women’s
groups, and teachers and learners, can be key resources in
many settings to prioritise and plan educational activities
and develop a community-based action plan. (See Box 4 for
selected activities to support community participation in HIV
and AIDS educational programmes).
Efforts should also be put in place to ensure the INEE minimum
standard that “learning environments are secure, and pro-
mote the protection and mental and emotional well-being of
learners”.37 This includes working with education personnel and
community members to ensure:
• Safe and secure access to educational facilities;
• Appropriate physical structure for the learning site,
including adequate space, recreation and sanitation
facilities (e.g., water for personal hygiene and clean
latrines or toilets for males and females);
• Zero tolerance policies for violence in learning places,
include codes of conduct prohibiting sexual relation-
ships between learners and educators; and
• Linkages with health, nutrition and other social services in
the vicinity to support the overall well-being of learners.
This may include sports and recreation, social clubs and
the promotion of mutual support networks.

S e l e c t e d Ac t i v i t i e s t o S u p p o r t Co m m u n i t y Pa r t i c i p a t i o n
i n H I V a n d A I D S E d u c a t i o n a l P r o g ra m m e s
Box 4
• Promote displaced and surrounding commu- • Work with displaced and surrounding com-
nity involvement in the situation analysis, and munity education committees to support
the planning, implementation, and evaluation community involvement in the educational
of educational activities environment e.g., the establishment and
• Educate displaced and surrounding commu- monitoring of a Code of Conduct
nity education committee members about • Promote the involvement of people living
HIV and AIDS including HIV transmission, risk, with HIV from both displaced and surrounding
vulnerability, treatment, care and rights communities in educational activities

20
Curriculum Considerations for HIV and AIDS Education
1. Define curricular approach:
• Stand alone subject e.g., HIV and AIDS educa-
tion clearly labelled and earmarked in the edu-
cational programme
• One main carrier subject e.g., HIV and AIDS ad-
dressed within the framework of one main
subject such as Natural Sciences, Physical and
Health Education, and Social Studies
• Cross-curricular e.g., HIV and AIDS is addressed
in a few subjects through a complementary
and coordinated approach
• Infused e.g., HIV and AIDS integrated in most/all
subjects in the curriculum with or without any
specific mention of HIV and AIDS in the subject
areas
2. Establish core content of curriculum, e.g.:
• Basic knowledge (sexual and reproductive
health, HIV and AIDS, treatment and care,
myths and misperceptions)
• Me, my emotions and others (respecting my-
self and others, coping with difficult and risky
situations, coping with loss)
• Addressing gender issues (gender and culture,
Box 5
vulnerability, local culture)
• Promoting human rights and overcoming
stigma and discrimination (rights and physical
integrity, impact of AIDS and care for people
affected by HIV, overcoming silence)
3. Consider time allocation for each lesson or
unit and teaching-learning objectives and
outcomes
4. Determine pedagogical approach and
teaching methods and implications for
teacher training and support
5. Use, adapt, or develop instructional mate-
rials in line with the needs and characteristics
of the learner
Source: UNESCO/IBE 2006

3 C ontent, curriculum and participation of stakeholders (see also Quality education,

learning materials
The development of content, curriculum and training ma-
terials for HIV and AIDS education must consider the age or
developmental level, language, culture, capacities and needs
of learners and include not only prevention knowledge, at-
titudes and behaviours but also issues related to treatment,
care and support as well as stigma and discrimination. It
should also follow the INEE Minimum Standard of being “cul-
turally, socially and linguistically relevant…[and] appropriate
to the particular emergency situation”.38
Where curriculum development or adaptation is required,
there are a number of important considerations including
the curricular approach, core content, teaching and learning
objectives and outcomes, pedagogical approach and instruc-
tional materials (see Box 5 above). Wherever possible, curricu-
lum development should be conducted with the meaningful
including cross-cutting principles).
The refugees’ length of stay in a host country may further
impact curriculum development. In emergency settings, cur-
ricula are often adapted from either the host country, the
country of origin or other emergency settings. In Tanzania,
for example, UNHCR and UNICEF supported the introduction
of the HIV curriculum used in the Burundian schools in the
Tanzanian refugee camp schools for this population.
UNHCR recommends that, in longer-term refugee situations,
programmes “face both ways” to be acceptable in both the
country of origin and the host country. When the language
of instruction is the same for refugees and host communities,
refugees may follow the host country curriculum since
this allows access to national leaving certificates, enabling
refugees to continue to access learning opportunities after
the emergency.

21
Educational programmes must also consider and address
the psychosocial needs and development of learners and
educators at all stages of the displacement cycle, including
during the crisis and in preparation for integration, settle-
ment in the host country, resettlement in a third country,
or repatriation. Educational programmes (including formal,
non-formal and informal education) should not only aim to
transfer information, but develop skills to help learners make
informed decisions about behaviours and relationships. (see
Boxes 6 and 7).

Ps y c h o - s o c i a l S u p p o r t
through “Community Conversations”
In the Republic of Congo, UNHCR has undertaken
“Community Conversations” to offer space for dia-
logue, mutual learning, reflection and introspec-
tion on HIV. Between December 2004 and March
2005, 92 “Conversations” were held. UNHCR re-
ports initial signs of behaviour change including:
Box 6
increased openness of men and women to explore
and address difficult and sensitive issues related
to HIV and AIDS; increased demand for informa-
tion on HIV and AIDS; and increased demand for
condoms.
Source: UNHCR 2005a

HI V P r e v e n t i o n R e c r e a t i o n a l A c t i v i t i e s
f o r R e f u g e e C h i l d r e n a n d Yo u t h
Right to Play, formerly known as Olympic Aid, has
developed and supported sports and games in
refugee camps in a number of African countries
including Angola, Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea,
Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone,
Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The camps aim
to support young refugees to have fun with a
purpose.
Live Safe, Play Safe (LSPS) is a skills-based health
education programme that has been implemen-
Box 7
ted in the camps to raise awareness and build
skills to prevent HIV infection among young
people. LSPS uses physical activities, group work,
role-playing and active discussions to engage
children and youth to build skills in: negotiation;
assertiveness; coping with peer pressure; and
feeling compassion for those living with HIV.
Programme modules include: facts about HIV
and AIDS, preventing HIV infection, values and
vulnerability, communication and compassion.
Source: UNHCR 2003c

22
 4 E ducator training and support
In order to address HIV and AIDS in their own lives and in the
lives of those they instruct and mentor, educators must be
provided with appropriate HIV-related knowledge, skills and
resources, and be supported by institutions and communities.
This includes both pre-service training and continuing profes-
sional development programmes for teachers in school set-
tings and relevant training for non-formal educators, including
peer educators, community and religious leaders, and tradi-
tional healers involved in HIV and AIDS education.
For formal educational programmes, the INEE Minimum Standards
support the recruitment of “appropriately qualified teachers
and other education personnel” through “a participatory and
transparent process based on selection criteria that reflect
diversity and equity”.39 Efforts must also be taken to ensure that
teacher selection and promotion criteria do not discriminate
or stigmatise teachers and other educational programme staff
infected or affected by HIV.
In rural areas, where some refugee camps are located, local host
communities have a limited resource pool to draw from to staff
a school. Typically, educational programmes use an international
lingua franca (e.g., Arabic, English, French and Spanish) as the me-
dium of instruction in the upper primary and secondary grades.
When there is a compatible lingua franca, teachers may be sought
from among the refugee community for HIV education for both
the displaced and host community populations. Community
members living with HIV can also be powerful educators, serving
as role models, reducing stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS, and
providing personal benefits to those involved. However, the in-
volvement of people with HIV must be carried out in a planned,
sensitive and responsible manner to avoid being tokenistic or
exposing them to further stigma and discrimination.
23
The development of training curriculum and content for
educators should be based on their identified needs and
may include: core knowledge on HIV and AIDS, pedagogical
and teaching methodologies (including approaches for adult
learning or for learners with special needs), curriculum develop-
ment, psychosocial support to understand trauma related to
displacement and promote healthy living, and information on
conditions of work and codes of conduct. Provision should be
made, wherever possible, for ongoing support, appropriate
follow-up, monitoring and supervision and refresher training,
as necessary.
Efforts should be made to ensure that the training and educa-
tion received by refugee teachers, peer educators and students
meet the standards of the home countries, and will be recog-
nised upon the refugees’ return. Where refugees return to their
home country, the arrival of trained teachers, peer educators
and community outreach workers can be a critical asset to the
host country, facilitating the introduction of important educa-
tional programmes, including HIV education, in areas of return
(see Box 8).
5 A pproaches and entry points
To ensure coverage and sustainability, educational programmes
should employ a range of approaches and entry points. These
can include, for example, community-based learning and
outreach, school feeding and school health programmes,
behaviour change communication (BCC) and information-
education-communication (IEC) programmes, adult education
and literacy courses, and life skills education (see example in
Box 9). Extra-curricular activities that integrate HIV messages
can also reinforce formal educational programmes, and can
promote dialogue and discussion in culturally appropriate fora
(such as community theatre, music, dance performances, and
sport). The development of women’s groups can also support
discussions of sensitive issues such as sexual and gender-based
violence, although it is important to ensure that these groups
protect confidentiality so that no further suffering is caused
and lives are not further endangered.40

S upporting Returning Refugees to Bring HIV Prevention

Messages to Southern Sudan
The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Ac-
cord between the Federal Government of Sudan
and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in
early 2005 has enabled hundreds of thousands
of IDPs and refugees to begin the journey home.
To equip refugees for their return to an area with
limited knowledge about HIV, UN agencies and
NGOs are intensifying HIV awareness training on
HIV prevention among returning refugees “not
only so they can help themselves, but also so that
Box 8
they can assist those who stayed behind in the
south,” explains UNHCR spokesperson Emmanuel
Nyabera, in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. UNHCR
hopes that as “tools of information,” refugees can
provide education for their peers in southern
Sudan and counter prevailing stigma and dis-
crimination attitudes toward people infected and
affected by the epidemic.
Source: Human Rights House Foundation 2006

24
 H IV and AIDS Education for Children,
Youth, and Female Urban Refugees
UNHCR’s implementing partner in Moscow,
Magee Woman Care International, views HIV
prevention as a priority for urban refugees,
especially those in high-risk groups, such as
women of childbearing age (15-49) and young
people. In addition to their work providing
primary and basic medical care to asylum-seekers
and refugees in and around Moscow, Magee
Woman Care International has developed an HIV
and AIDS educational programme. This includes
informational materials delivered during in-class
instruction and distributed during patient visits to
the Magee centres. Materials cover the following
themes: HIV transmission, prevention, and the
risks associated with AIDS.
Box 9
During a baseline survey, nearly two-thirds of
the programme participants demonstrated a
limited understanding of HIV and AIDS and a
limited knowledge of HIV prevention methods.
In some instances, participants reported that this
was the first time they had heard about HIV and
AIDS. After the classes, surveys showed marked
increases in HIV awareness among participants.
Subsequent classes revealed possible changes in
behaviour, with teenagers noting that were now
more likely to actively discuss issues related to a
healthy lifestyle.
25
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

26
This paper brings together the arguments in favour of a com-
prehensive response to HIV and AIDS through education, to
address the unique needs of refugees and IDPs. It sets forth
some actions that contribute to the minimum standards for
HIV and AIDS education in these situations. It can be used to
design, implement and advocate for a comprehensive HIV and
AIDS educational initiative for refugees and IDPs.
UNESCO and UNHCR have learned a number of lessons which
can inform future educational responses to HIV and AIDS for
refugees and IDPs. This includes the need for ministries of
education, civil society organizations, and their development
partners to:
• Coordinate HIV and AIDS education for refugees and
IDPs with other educational initiatives at the coun-
try, sub-country and organizational levels in order
to avoid duplication of efforts and to maximise the
efficacy of human, financial and material resources.
Surrounding populations should be included in refu-
gees’ and IDPs’ educational activities whenever feasible,
in order to maximise use of available financial, material,
and human resources. This sharing of resources helps to
improve overall capacity and strengthen relationships
between displaced persons and the host community.
Additionally, this strategy may help to increase HIV and
AIDS awareness and reduce the stigma and discrimi-
nation which refugees and IDPs often face. However,
without adequate funding from both the international
donor community and host countries, increased access
to educational programmes, in particular formal edu-
cational programmes, for both populations will remain
inadequate.
• Promote the principles put forward in the Dakar
Framework for Action, including the achievement of
Education for All (by 2015). The international commu-
nity must strive to provide adequate and sustained sup-
port to countries that host refugee and other displaced
populations, to provide quality education in these situa-
tions. In particular, greater emphasis must be placed on
ensuring that refugee and IDP young people, especially
girls, have access to educational opportunities to stem
the transmission of HIV.
• Meaningfully involve communities in programme
development, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation. In emergency settings, building trust be-
tween the various populations is essential. Educational
programmes developed through consultation and con-
sensus with the displaced and local host communities
have a better chance of success than those imported
and implemented directly. Consultation can take place
through a committee working with the education
providers to discuss how to carry out the programmes
and to address concerns about sensitive issues like
reproductive health, sexuality and HIV and AIDS.
27
• Scale up and make programmes more comprehen-
sive over time and across displacement phases.
Educational programmes may begin with simple
community-based activities. However, efforts should be
made to develop more formal educational programmes
as rapidly as possible, with appropriate materials and
educators who have been selected from among the
displaced populations and have been adequately
trained. Programmes must also be ongoing across dis-
placement phases. For example, during the emergency
phase, refugees and IDPs must be informed of the
types of HIV-related informational and material services
(e.g., condoms and other key prevention commodities)
available and how to access them. Structured educa-
tional programmes addressing HIV and AIDS should
be put in place during this and the post-emergency or
stabilisation phase, and efforts undertaken to consoli-
date achievements and ensure a successful transition
for those returning home, resettling in another country
or integrating into the host country population.
• Customise the message in consultation with the com-
munity. Tailoring messages to the specific needs of a
population is key to changing behaviour, attitudes and
practices. Identified good practices and social change
programmes, including HIV and AIDS programming,
involve messages specifically designed for the target
populations. Effective programming of HIV prevention
messages, care and support activities, and stigma and
discrimination reduction strategies require messages to
be customised to meet local needs and to take cultural
and linguistic diversity into account.
• Monitor and evaluate programmes to guide future
actions and take corrective measures when needed.
In emergency situations, monitoring and evaluation
(M&E) can be viewed by overworked professionals
as an unnecessary distraction and a strain on limited
resources. It is vital to dispel doubts and to ensure
that M&E is undertaken to guide future action and
take corrective measures where needed. M&E systems
supply a valuable baseline reference to measure
the effectiveness of programmes, and thus serve as
powerful advocacy tools for successful programmes.
They provide useful data which can assist in determining
the best way to spend limited resources in order to
achieve the best possible results. This can be especially
important when developing and implementing new
programmes such as HIV and AIDS education. Data
collection can be difficult in emergency situations, but
is nevertheless invaluable to guide programming and
make interventions more effective.
END NOTES

1. UNESCO 2006a 26. AGI 2002

2. U.S. Committee for Refugees 2006. This includes: 12 million 27. Sinclair 2002
refugees and asylum seekers; 1.04 million new refugees; 28. INEE 2004
7.89 million refugees in camps for 5 years or more; 21 mil- 29. INEE 2004
lion internally displaced persons; and 2.1 million new inter- 30. Lubbers 2003
nally displaced persons. 31. UNESCO 2006
3. UNHCR 2005d 32. As explained in UNESCO 2005, ‘formal education’ is usually
4. UNHCR 2006c provided by an education or training institution, structured
5. UNHCR 2004b (in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning
6. UNAIDS and UNHCR 2005 support) and leads to some sort of certification. ‘Non-for-
7. UNCHR. 2006b, Draft 8 September mal education’ includes learning activities typically or-
8. Spiegel 2004 ganised outside the formal education system. In different
9. UNAIDS 2004a and UNAIDS 2006 contexts, non-formal education covers educational activi-
10. See UNAIDS, UNHCR and WFP 2006 ties aimed at imparting adult literacy, basic education for
11. Hynes, Sheik, Wilson, and Spiegel 2002 out-of-school children and youth, life skills, work skills, and
12. UNHCR 2006c. Of the 20.8 million displaced persons of con- general culture. Such activities usually have clear learning
cern to the UNHCR at the end of 2005, the location was objectives, but vary in duration, in conferring certification
known for 14 million. Of these, 26 percent were located in for acquired learning, and in organisational structure. ‘Infor-
camps or centres, 18 percent were living in urban areas, and mal education’ is learning that takes place in daily life with-
56 percent were either dispersed in rural areas or living in out clearly stated objectives. The term refers to a lifelong
an unknown type of settlement. In Africa, almost half the process whereby every individual acquires attitudes, values,
people of concern to UNHCR are in camps, as compared to skills and knowledge from daily experiences and the edu-
less than a quarter in Asia. cative influences and resources in his/her environment e.g.,
13. Holtzman and Nezam 2004 family and neighbours, work and play, the marketplace, the
14. Machel 1996 library and the mass media.
15. UNHCR 2004a 33. INEE 2004
16. UNAIDS 2006 34. INEE 2004:21. See also See Appendix 2 (Planning in an
17. Hynes, Sheik, Wilson and Spiegel 2002 Emergency Situation Analysis Checklist) and Appendix 3
18. Save the Children 2002:18 (Information Gathering and Needs Assessment Question-
19. CIDA 2000 naire)
20. INEE 2004 35. UNAIDS IATT 2006a
21. The Dakar Framework Education For All: Meeting Our Col- 36. INEE 2004:14-19
lective Commitments. Dakar, Senegal, April 2000. 37. INEE 2004:45
22. UNHCR 2006d 38. INEE 2004:56
23. de Walque 2004 39. INEE 2004:66
24. UNICEF 2004 40. UNHCR 1999
25. ActionAid International 2006. See also UNAIDS IATT on Edu-
cation 2006a

28
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31
PHOTOS:
Cover photos:
© 2004 David Snyder/CRS, Courtesy of Photoshare

Photos:
p. 6 ©UNHCR/J.Clark
p. 9 ©UNHCR/J. De la Mota
p. 10 ©UNHCR/S. Schulman
p. 12 ©UNHCR/Ann Burton
p. 14 ©UNHCR/H. Caux
p. 16 ©UNHCR/L. Taylor
p. 20 ©UNHCR/Caitlin Meredith
p. 22 ©UNHCR/Caitlin Meredith
p. 23 ©UNHCR/G.M.B Akash
p. 25 ©UNHCR/L. Taylor
p. 26 ©UNHCR/H. Caux

All rights reserved. This document may be freely reviewed, abstracted, reproduced or translated,
in part or in whole, but not for sale or for use in conjunction with commercial purposes. The
designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this document do not
imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO or UNHCR concerning
the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning its frontiers
or boundaries.

Published by:
UNESCO
Education Sector
Division for the Coordination of UN Priorities in Education
Section on HIV and AIDS
7, Place de Fontenoy
75352 – Paris 07 SP, France
Website: www.unesco.org/aids
Email: aids@unesco.org

© January 2007. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Composed and printed by UNESCO

ED-2007/WS/1 REV - CLD 31149
This discussion paper, prepared by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is intended for policy-makers
and implementers in ministries of education, civil society organizations,
and donor and development agencies involved in emergency, recon-
struction and development responses.

It examines the current situation with regard to conflict, displacement

and HIV, and notes the protection risks faced by refugees and internally
displaced persons. It recognises the importance of education for affected
populations, and refers to the existing and significant work undertaken
to develop minimum standards for education in emergency situations.
The paper then focuses on the key components of education sector
responses to HIV and AIDS, and addresses the policy and programmatic
measures required to address the prevention, treatment, care and
support needs of refugees and internally displaced persons as well as
the HIV-related stigma and discrimination that they often face.